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The Elbe Sandstone Mountains

The Elbe Sandstone Mountains – Our territory
The Elbe Sandstone Mountains is located 45min by train south of Dresden near the river Elbe and is stretched to a size of 700km² over the border to Czechia.
The special characteristics are the bizarr sandstone rocks and majestical Table Mountains, the valleys and gorges and not least the long climbing tradition. 150 years ago the free climbing was born here and was spread into the world. With more than 1100 climbing peaks the Elbe Sandstone Mountains belongs to the most important and most beautiful climbing areas of the world. Nowhere else climbing history and nature experience are so present and wedded. And so a lot of local characteristics of the Saxony Climbing Style has been preserved to this day:

climbing only allowed on freestanding peaks and not on walls from peaks who can be reached also by foot

no tools and aids like magnesia and cams/friends

rare using of locking rings, for this extra protection with placing “Knotenschlingen,” the special type of protection used in the Elbe Sandstone

bivouac in the „Boofen“ at the base of a wall, speciality in the Elbe Sandstone

To register in the summit book, the rest on the peak, enjoing the view to other peaks, table mountains or dense forests - all this belongs to the climbing tradition as well.
The best season is from spring to autumn, there is a wide selection of sunny and shady walls.More than climbing
It's worth to come not only for climbing to the Saxony Switzerland cause its a lot more than a climbing area.
Around 400 km of hiking trails and more than 20 km of stairways and ladder paths through the rocks are inviting to discover the fairy tale cliffworlds and the enchanted valleys and gorges.
Afterwards you can stop for a bite to eat in historical mountain restaurants and rustic huts.
Dresden, the capital of the state saxony, with its monumental historical buildings, the rock formation of the Bastei with its great point of view, die Königstein Fortress, the Rathen Open Air Stage (natural stage) and the nationalpark visitor centre in Bad Schandau are worth to visit.